Retractable container and emptying tray therefor



June 12, 1962 c. L. MORTON 3,038,629

RETRACTABLE CONTAINER AND EMPTYING TRAY THEREFOR Filed May 16, 1960 CALI IN L. MORTON INVENTOA? HUEBNER 8 WORREL ,477'ORNEKS 3,038,629 RETRACTABLE CONTAINER AND EMPTYING TRAY THEREFOR Calvin L. Morton, 4502 E. Yale, Fresno, Calif. Filed May 16, 1960, Ser. No. 29,485 2 Claims. (Cl. 220-18) The present invention relates to a retractable container and an emptying tray therefor, and more particularly, to a container mounted for movement between a tilted material receiving position and an upright retracted position having a tray mounted in the container for movement between the material receiving and emptying positions and utilizing common means for limiting tilting movement of the container in its material receiving position and for moving the tray between its positions.

While the subject container and tray are used in various environments, they are especially adapted for use in automobiles as a convenient receptacle for waste paper and other refuse. It is well known that highways and streets are continually littered with debris which is thrown out of moving vehicles. It is believed that one reason why motorists still litter the ground with such waste material, notwithstanding laws and public protests against such acts, is that most autos do not include a satisfactory refuse container other than an ash tray which is too small for bulky refuse.

While containers of the type required conventionally are not part of the standard equipment of an automobile, containers adapted to be releasably supported under the dashboard in an automobile have been devised in an effort to alleviate the described problem. However, such containers do not blend with the styling of the automobile, occupy valuable space, and tend to vibrate and flop about during movement of the vehicle, frequently spilling their contents.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a retractable container and emptying tray especially suited for use as an automobile accessory.

Another object is to provide a tray mounted in a container for movement between a material receiving position and a material emptying position.

Another object is to facilitate the emptying of a container of the character described in a thorough manner.

Another object is to minimize littering of highways, streets, and the like, with debris thrown from vehicles by facilitating disposal thereof.

Another object is to provide a container mounted for movement between a material receiving position and a material retracted position, a tray mounted in the container for movement between material receiving and emptying positions, and common means for moving the tray between its positions and for limiting movement of the container in its receiving position.

Other objects are to provide a container and tray therefor, as described above, which are simple and economical to manufacture, durable in construction, dependable in operation, and adaptable for use in various environments.

These, together with other objects, will become more fully apparent upon reference to the following description and accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a wall with a container mounted embodying the principles of the present invention therein.

H6. 2 is a somewhat enlarged, horizontal section taken on line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken on a plane at a position represented by line 3-3 in FIG. 2 with the container shown in a receiving position in dashed lines.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, rear elevation of the container Patented June 12, 1952 and mounting wall with portions thereof broken away for illustrative convenience.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the container and tray, somewhat reduced in scale from FIG. 1, showing the tray in a material receiving position at the bottom of the container, an emptying position outside of the container, and an intermediate transitional position at the top of the container.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, a supporting wall is generally indicated by the numeral 10 in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4 and includes a substantially rectangular window 11 having upper, lower and side edges. This wall conveniently takes the form of the inner, upholstered panel of the door of an automobile. A substantially rectangular frame 13 is fited in the window and its connected to the wall by the screws 14-. The frame includes a lower arcuate flange 16 having an upwardly disposed convex surface and being inwardly, downwardly, extended from the lower edge of the window, as best illustrated in FIG. 3. The frame also includes an upper arcuate plate 18 having a lower concave surface; being downwardly, inwardly extended from the upper edge of the window and resiliently elevationally movable thereabout; and terminating in a rear flange 19 upwardly extended from a break line 1% slightly below the upper edge of the window. The plate has a detent aperture 20 therein adjacent to the upper edge of the window and substantially centrally between the side edges thereof. A tongue is struck out of the upper plate to provide the aperture and extends downwardly from the upper edge of the window, as is also best seen in FIG. 3.

A substantially rectangular container 26 includes a bottom panel 27 and a front panel or door 28 connected to the bottom panel and upwardly extended therefrom. The front panel has a lower edge 29 extended slightly below the bottom panel, an upper edge 29a, a front surface 30, and a rear surface 31. A handle 32 is connected to the front panel and protrudes forwardly from the front surface thereof adjacent to its upper edge.

The container 26 also has a pair of side panels 38 rigidly connected in spaced parallel relation to the bottom panel 27 and to the rear surface 31 of the front panel 28. The side panels also have lower edges 39 in a substantially common plane with the lower edge 29 of the front panel and rearwardly, downwardly curved, upper, convex edges 40 substantially concentric to the plate 18 and to the flange 16. The side panels have quadrant-shaped, lower, front notches defined by edges 41 upwardly arcuately extended from the lower edges 29 to the rear surface of the front panel.

The container 26 is releasably fitted within the frame 13, and thus the window 11 of the front wall 10, with the notches 41 complementarily, slidably fitted, downwardly over the lower flange 16 of the frame. The container is thereby mounted for movement between an upright retracted position, best shown in full lines in FIGS. 3 and 5 with the bottom panel 27 extended substantially perpendicularly rearwardly from the wall, and the front panel 28 covering the window and engaging the wall, and and outwardly inclined material receiving position, as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 3, with the front panel forwardly outwardly tilted in acute angular relation to the wall. Slidable engagement of the lower edges 39 of the side panels 38 in the notches with the lower flange facilitates this movement.

The container 26 also includes a rear panel 45 interconnecting the side panels 38 and having an upper edge 46 below the upper edge of the front panel 28 and coterminous with rear ends of the upper edges 40 of the side panels. The rear panel also has a lower edge 48 in a common plane with the lower edges 29 and 39, and an elongated slot 50 longitudinally extended between the lower edge 48 and the upper edge 46. A web 51 is extended transversely within the slot adjacent to said upper edge 46 and provides an upwardly opening recess 52 downwardly extended from said upper edge. The recess, and thus the slot, are located in a substantially common vertical plane with the tongue 22 and, therefore, are rearwardly aligned with the tongue. A bracket 54 is connected to the rear panel and has an offset portion extended transversely rearwardly of the slot slightly below the web.

A substantially rectangular tray is slidably fitted within the container 26 between the panels 28, 33, and 45. An elongated arm 61 is located substantially within the slot 56 of the rear panel 45 and has a lower end 62 extended forwardly from the slot into the container and rigidly connected to the tray. The arm is disposed forwardly of the offset portion of the bracket 54 but rearwardly of the web 51. The arm has a rearwardly extended, upper, V-shaped spring portion 64; an upwardly convex V-shaped detent 65 integral with the spring portion, having an upper pointed apex, and being upwardly arched over the recess 52; and a fiat lip projected forwardly from the detent. It is believed apparent that the detent is in alignment with the tongue 22. Further, when the container is in the described retracted position, the detent is in spring-pressed engagement with the rear flange 19 on the upper plate 18. The upper plate is resiliently upwardly movable about the upper edge of the window 11 to permit forward and rearward movement of the container and, during such forward or rearward movement, the apex of the detent is in slidable, spring-pressed engagement with the plate. Further, the detent engages the tongue to limit forward tilting movement of the container in said material receiving position. However, the detent is resiliently depressible by applying manual pressure downwardly on the lip. This moves the detent below the tongue and allows removal of the container from the window 11.

Operation The operation of the described embodiment of the present invention is believed to be readily apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. Assuming that the container 26 is in its upright retracted position, as shown in full lines in FIG. 3, if it is desired to place waste material, not shown, in the container, the handle 32 is grasped and the container pulled forwardly away from the front wall 10. Manual pulling force is sufficient to urge the plate 18 upwardly and to force the detent 65 forwardly of the flange 19 in underlying slidable engagement with the upper plate. When the detent engages the tongue 22, the container is in fully open, material receiving position, as illustrated in dashed lines in FIG. 3. The container is returned to retracted position simply by pushing rearwardly on the front panel 38. When the apex of the detent is moved rearwardly of the break line 19a, the detent engages the rear flange and is yieldably held thereagainst by the downward spring pressure of the plate. This holds the container in retracted position to avoid vibration, or the like, especially when the subject invention is employed in a vehicle.

If it is desired to empty the container 26, it is first moved into material receiving position, as above described. The lip 67 is depressed and the container is lifted out of the window 11. While holding the handle 32 in one hand, the lip is grasped in the other hand and the tray 69 is slid upwardly thereby within the container into an upper, intermediate position normal to the panels 28, 38 and 4-5, as illustrated in dashed lines in FIG. 5. The container is then laterally tilted preferably away from the user toward an inverted position, and the arm 61 is pivoted rearwardly about the web 51. This swings the tray upwardly out of the container and toward the plane of the rear panel 45, as also illustrated in dashed lines in FIG. 5. The partial inversion of the container and outward pivoting or swinging of the tray serves completely to empty the contents of the container, as will be evident.

Thereafter, the tray 60 is returned to said intermediate position within the container 26 and is slid downwardly until it rests on the bottom panel 27, and the arm 45 is again substantially within the plane of the slot 50. It is to be noted that the tray slides against the inside surfaces of the front, rear, and side panels 28, 45, and 38, respectively, in moving upwardly within the container. This cleans the panels and particularly removes waste particles which adhere to the panels. Also, by raising the tray upwardly and out of the container, waste material which has adhered to the tray can be more easily removed. Still further, the users hands are not in the path of the discharging material when it empties from the container. Also, the arm 61 and its associated detent 65 serve both to limit movement of the container outwardly in the material receiving position of the container and also as the means for raising and lowering the tray. It also overlies and blocks the slot 50.

From the foregoing it will be evident that a retractable container and tray therefor have been provided. It is significant that the tray provides for cleaning the interior of the container and for completely emptying the contents thereof. It is also noteworthy that common means are provided for moving the tray and for limiting movement of the container in its material receiving position. When used as an auto accessory, the subject invention provides for convenient and sanitary disposition of waste materials and discourages littering of the roadways.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a support including a wall providing a substantially rectangular window therein having upper and lower edges, and a tongue mounted on the wall and downwardly extended from the upper edge of the window; a substantially rectangular container including a bottom panel and front and rear panels upstanding from the bottom panel in spaced, substantially parallel relation, the rear panel having an upper edge and an elongated slot extended between the bottom panel and adjacent to said upper edge; a web portion in said rear panel defining the upper limit of the slot; a tray rested on the bottom panel of the container but being elevationally slid-able in the container between the front and rear panels; an arm disposed in the slot and connected to the tray for elevating the same in the container; an upper detent extended forwardly from the arm above the upper edge of the rear panel in alignment with said tongue and being resiliently depressible toward the tray, the container being releasably fitted in the window with its lower panel supported on the lower edge of the wall for forward and rearward movement between a receiving position forwardly outwardly tilted from the wall with the detent engaging the tongue and a rear upright retracted position rearwardly of the wall and with the front panel engaging the wall, the detent being resiliently depressible out of alignment with the tongue when the container is in said receiving position and thereby to enable removal of the container from the support and a bracket connected to the upright panel and extended transversely of the slot and in longitudinally offset relation to the web, the arm being embraced between said web and said bracket to provide a sliding connection therewith and a pivotal support therefor and to prevent the tray from being separated from the container.

2. In a substantially rectangular frame including upper, lower and side edges circumscribing an opening, having front and rear surfaces, and including a tongue downwardly extended into the opening from said upper edge, a substantially rectilinear refuse container having a bottom and an open top and including front, rear, and side panels upstanding from the bottom and terminating in respective upper edges, said container being fitted in the opening for movement between a retracted position rear- Wardly extended from the frame and a material receiving position forwardly extended from the frame, the rear panel having an elongated slot extended from the bottom panel and terminated adjacent to the upper edge of the rear panel, a web of the rear panel interposed said slot and said upper edge to define the upper limit of the slot, a tray elevationally slidably fitted in the container for movement between a retracted position downwardly toward the bottom and an intermediate position adjacent to the open top, an arm connected to the tray and extended through said slot rearwardly and upwardly relative to the container to effect elevational movement of the tray, a

detent resilient depressibly connected to the arm having an upper blocking position in alignment with the tongue and a releasing position out of alignment with the tongue to enable removal of the container forwardly out of the frame, and means secured to the rear panel and engaging the arm and mounting the tray for pivotal movement between said intermediate position and an emptying position upwardly and outwardly tilted with respect to the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,269,699 Fritz June 18, 1918 2,057,926 Sinclair Oct. 20, 1936 2,628,876 Simonian Feb. 17, 1953 2,771,209 Flynn Nov. 20, 1956 

